


In Case You Didn't Know

by EtCorSolus



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:21:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29791152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtCorSolus/pseuds/EtCorSolus
Summary: Dialogue prompt: "I don't know if you know this but, I love you."Title from In Case You Didn't Know by Brett Young
Relationships: Aiden/Lambert (The Witcher)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	In Case You Didn't Know

The first time is in Velen. Lambert is trudging through the perpetual swampland that makes up the country, hunting down a nest of drowners that's supposed to be in the area. The alderman hinted that someone else had already set out to clear the nest and Lambert assumed some idiot townsman had decided to try their hand at monster slaying. What he found was another witcher, _a Cat._ Lambert slouched against a tree and watched the witcher dispatch the last drowner, he was quick and efficient. His eyes were more green than yellow when they raised to meet Lambert's.

“Alderman mentioned someone heading out this way, didn't figure I'd run into another witcher in the ass end of Velen. A Cat, too, didn't think your little caravan came out this way,” Lambert says and the witcher shrugs.

“Wanted a change of pace and figured, why not the ass end of Velen? Name's Aiden,” he replies.

“Lambert.”

“Well, Lambert, you help me cut off these heads and I might cut you in,” Aiden smirks and Lambert makes an obscene gesture at him.

“No fucking way I'm getting my hands dirty on a _maybe_ , buddy. Have fun with your blood and guts,” he calls over his shoulder as he turns back towards the road.

“Not even if I buy you dinner?!” Shouted at his retreating back.

He doesn't respond.

# # #

The fifth time is in Kaedwen. Lambert is heading towards the mountains, towards Kaer Morhen and his brothers, though he's still more meandering that direction than actually going home. He'll start a more direct route in a few weeks before the snows begin. He's hunting for signs of a werewolf, one he's been tracking for two days now. The only reason he agreed to this contract is that the money's pretty good and Lambert needs to repair his gear before he goes home because if he shows up like he is now Eskel and Geralt will harass him about it all winter. So, he's tracking the _damned_ _werewolf_ when he catches the scent. Aiden smells like cypress and the earthy scent of new growth and heat. A southern forest in spring. He drops out of a tree several steps ahead of Lambert with a smirk.

“Hey there, baby wolf,” he calls, cheeky, and Lambert grits his teeth.

“ _Don't_ call me that,” he growls, stalking over to Aiden to scowl at him but Aiden just laughs and tosses an arm around his shoulders.

“Lighten up, I'm about to do you a favor,” says Aiden. “You're tracking a werewolf for the pompous ass, right?” Lambert nods and shoves at Aiden's arm on his shoulder but Aiden just bats his hand away and tugs him further into his side. “I found it. Made it's way into a cave midway up the ridge.”

“Hm. What's the price of this information?”

“Thought I'd join you, split the contract fifty-fifty.”

“Like hell, seventy-thirty at best,” Lambert argues because _fuck that_ he's been tracking this gods damn werewolf for two days.

“Sixty-forty.”

“Seventy-thirty, or I can just kick your ass now and keep all my fucking coin,” Lambert snarks and Aiden huffs but agrees. Lambert soundly refuses to admit that Aiden was actually quite helpful in the fight, nor that they worked quite well together, but he pays for Aiden's meal before they go their separate ways and he misses the small smile Aiden is wearing when he does.

# # #

Lambert isn't sure how many times it's been when the kiss happens. He's really not sure _why_ the kiss happens either but, seeing as he likes it and wants it to happen again, he doesn't ask.

They've just finished a contract and it's early enough in the day that they both want to move on before dark. If it wasn't the last contract of Lambert's season they would have headed off together, but Aiden wintered south and Lambert north and so they stopped at the crossroads and clapped each other on the shoulder like they usually did. Only this time Aiden slipped his hand higher, gripped Lambert by the scruff of his neck, and pressed his lips to Lambert's before he turned away with a cheerful, _see ya around, baby wolf,_ thrown over his shoulder.

Lambert was more bewildered than anything as he turned north and started home, trying to ignore the heat lingering from Aiden's touch.

# # #

It's been a good eight years when Aiden actually manages to shock Lambert. It starts in Novigrad, when Lambert tells Aiden he's heading home for winter and Aiden comments that he would like to winter with Lambert. Lambert brushes it off, changes the subject, _not going there._ Then the next day, when Lambert is set to leave, Aiden follows him. Which is odd because the last few years they've agreed to meet in late autumn in Novigrad, knock out a few contracts before winter sets in and work slows down, and then head off in opposite directions to wait out the season. Lambert doesn't say anything until they cross over into Kaedwen.

“I told you, I want to winter with you,” Aiden says simply.

“I heard you but, uh, I just-” Lambert shakes his head. He wants to tell Aiden that Vesemir won't let him stay or even one of his brothers, that no one is allowed to bring guests. Anything to get him to turn around because Lambert _likes_ seeing Aiden on the path. He plans for it and looks forward to it and it doesn't make him worry about running Aiden off because they're only ever together for a few weeks at a time and even then, sometimes they split the contracts in an area so they're not even _with_ each other the whole time. He's gotten used to the kisses and sleeping next to someone sometimes and the sound of Aiden's laugh; and Lambert knows if Aiden spends more than a few weeks around him, he's gonna fuck it up. He'll say or do the wrong thing, either by accident or on purpose because he's angry, and Aiden will have to deal with him the rest of the season anyways and then Lambert will never see him again.

“Lambert.” Aiden's tone is gentle and a little affectionate and it cuts off Lambert's mental tail spin. He meets Aiden eyes and sees the fondness he heard, openly displayed. “ **I don't know if you know this but, I love you.** ”

Lambert prides himself on how difficult it is to shock him, it's been so long since someone has truly been able to surprise him that he almost doesn't recognize the feeling. He'd accuse Aiden of fucking with him, if he didn't see the truth all over Aiden's face while his mind raced back over their time together to try and figure out how the _fuck_ he missed that. Lambert isn't sure what Aiden reads in his eyes or expression or if he just understands Lambert well enough to assume but he grips the back of Lambert's neck, presses their foreheads together and says, “So tell me, baby wolf, are we going to meet the family?”

“Yeah,” Lambert murmurs, he'll deal with Vesemir and his brothers when they get up the mountain. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows they won't tell him no. “Told you to quit calling me that.”

“Pretty sure I'd remember that conversation,” Aiden grins, licks the end of Lambert's nose and then spins away from the swipe at his head with a ringing laugh. He takes off down the path and hollers back over his shoulder at Lambert to, “Keep up, baby wolf.”


End file.
